The phrase ‘playing for pride’ gets thrown around a lot at the
end of the season, but it’s especially true of Perth Glory in the
final two rounds of the 2014-15 A-League.

Kenny Lowe’s men have gone from being one of the Premier’s Plate
favourites to suffering finals series disqualification for
breaching the salary cap.

The club’s administration is appealing the decision to Football
Federation Australia’s disciplinary committee, with the threat of
Supreme Court action looming large.

Kenny Lowe and his players meanwhile, their hard work on the
field looking set to count for nothing, have 120 minutes of torture
to get through.

The shock of their exclusion from the playoffs was plain for all
to see in a comprehensive 3-0 loss at home to Sydney FC last Friday
night, just hours after the findings of FFA’s audit and the
subsequent punishment was made public.

The complex situation off the field presents some psychological
challenges for Melbourne City, who are attempting to secure a
fifth-place finish ahead of reigning champions Brisbane Roar.

John van ‘t Schip’s side are enjoying some of their best form
this season and won’t want to lose momentum by dropping points on
the road this week.

But what kind of opponents will they come up against on Sunday
evening? A defiant XI determined to mount a positive response to
events of the last two weeks? Or a wounded animal limping to the
finish line with nothing left to play for?

OPTA DATA

- Glory have failed to win any of their last three against
Melbourne City (D2 L1).

- City have lost their previous four visits to Perth to nil
(including playoffs).

- Only Wellington’s Nathan Burns (7) has scored more home goals
this season than Perth Glory’s Andy Keogh (6).

- Both of the previous meetings this season between these two
sides have ended as a draw.

- Perth have shipped at least two goals in each of their last
seven home games.

- City have kept clean sheets in four of their last five
matches.

ROUTE TO GOAL

Damien Duff and James Brown are sidelined for City but they’ve
still got plenty of attacking firepower to call on. Just about
every member of their midfield and forward line had a crack at
breaking down Wellington Phoenix in a 0-0 draw at AAMI Park last
Sunday evening, but they either left their shooting boots back at
the training ground or found Glen Moss in assured form between the
sticks.

Josh Kennedy, Robert Koren, Harry Novillo and David Williams are
all available, while Iain Ramsay and youngster Marc Marino have
also been included in the matchday squad. Surely that’s enough to
get past the demoralised Glory backline?

There will be two changes in defence for City due to Kew
Jaliens’ suspension for an accumulation of yellow cards. Safuwan
Baharudin has also been omitted.

Perth have released Cerezo Osaka’s Mitch Nichols early from his
season-long loan, but Andy Keogh, Jamie Maclaren, Richard Garcia,
Chris Harold and Dragan Paljic are a group of forwards not to be
underestimated.

Concentration may understandably have been an issue at nib
Stadium last weekend. If their focus is better on Sunday, the hosts
are more than capable of worrying City.

WHO’S BEEN IN THE SPOTLIGHT THIS WEEK?

City goalkeeper Tando Velaphi has impressed since taking over
from Andrew Redmayne earlier this season. Now the 27-year-old will
be taking on the team he made 74 appearances for between 2007 and
2011.

FORM LINESPerth Glory: LWWDL
Before rolling over at home to the Sky Blues last time out, the
Glory had won two in succession, beating the Newcastle Jets 2-0
away and Western Sydney 3-2 at home.

Melbourne City: DDWWW
It’s been two successive draws for City, 0-0 at home to Wellington
and 1-1 away to the Wanderers. Prior to that they’d won three in a
row, beating Sydney and Brisbane 1-0 at home and away respectively,
as well as thrashing the Jets 4-0 at home.

DID YOU KNOW?

- No midfielder has hit the woodwork more often than Glory’s
Nebojsa Marinkovic (4). City’s Aaron Mooy has also done it four
times.

PREDICTION

Perth Glory 1-1 Melbourne City

The Glory players have had some time to digest the news of their
disqualification. A consolation victory won’t be anywhere near
enough to compensate for their anger and disappointment, but we’re
tipping Lowe’s side to produce a far more competitive and combative
display than their previous effort. City will need to be at their
best to cope with that onslaught if it transpires.